Types of Residential Solar Photovoltaic Systems

Whether you’re embracing a green lifestyle or are tired of spending a considerable amount on your monthly electricity bills, having a solar system set up at home is definitely a great idea. With a residential solar photovoltaic system installed, you will generate green energy that is free once the set up pays for itself over the years. However, before your new solar panels grace your roof, you need to decide which of the two configurations available you want: Grid-tied PV or Stand-alone PV.

The Basics of Grid-Tied PV

A grid-tied configuration is one that doesn’t have a battery included with the PV modules and other equipment that form your residential solar photovoltaic system. It has become the most popular in the U.S. due to several reasons aside from lower price of installation.

One benefit of a grid-tied PV system is convenience. During day when the sun is bright, the grid-tied residential solar photovoltaic system will generate enough power to run your house. Since the system lacks a battery, you can depend on power from your utility company’s network of power stations at times when the PV system isn’t generating electricity such as at night. As your dependency on the grid decreases, so will your bills.

This residential solar photovoltaic configuration also allows homeowners to make money. Under the Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act (PURPA, Section 210), utility companies are required to purchase electricity from entities generating renewable energy. With that money, you can pay off your electricity bills and maybe cover a few costs here and there.

With these benefits in mind, along with the fact that the government’s incentives cover grid-tied configurations, you should definitely consider this system for your solar energy generation purposes.

Also known as the off-the-grid or off-grid system, this type of residential solar photovoltaic system is completely independent from the utility grid. Batteries store the electricity the solar panels produce to run your home at night or when the system can’t generate enough power.

Though an off-grid residential solar photovoltaic system is more expensive, it does come with a number of perks. For starters, you won’t have to worry about a blackout due to natural disasters; your battery will cover your needs for a considerable amount of time. In addition, if your home is in a remote area where utility services can’t reach easily or where installing power lines is very expensive, this type of a system will be worthwhile.

However, you need to make ample space for the system’s batteries. Since off-grid solar systems need to store a lot of power to run your home for at least half a day, the batteries will be huge. Besides, you will have to pay fully for your off-grid system since government rebates don’t cover them.

Which System to Get

After discovering the two types of residential solar photovoltaic systems available, you’re probably wondering which one to get. First off, weigh both the advantages and disadvantages of each system to make up your mind. Next, get in touch with your local solar panels dealer. They have the knowledge and expertise to guide you on which type of system you should choose.

If you’ve yet to contact a dealer, use the form on the home page and we will get you in contact with the best solar panel installers in your geographic area.

The number of homeowners going solar over the last three years has now made residential solar power the fastest growing technology in the U.S. energy industry. Let Solar Panels Power show you the best way to go solar.